The prison bars were finally removed from Mohammad Faisal Ataur Rahman Shaikh’s life, but freedom did not arrive with the happiness he had imagined for nearly two decades. After spending close to 19 years behind bars in connection with the 7/11 Mumbai local train serial blasts, Faisal walked out of prison carrying years of memories, loss and a life that had moved on without him.
Faisal had been accused of being one of the main conspirators in the Mumbai train blasts. The prosecution had alleged that he received money from Pakistan, helped assemble the bombs and planted one of them on a train. He was subsequently convicted and sentenced to death.
Years later, however, the Bombay High Court acquitted him and the other accused, holding that the prosecution had failed to establish the charges beyond reasonable doubt. The court observed that it was “hard to believe the accused committed the crime.” The acquittal brought an end to a long legal battle, but it could not return the years that Faisal had spent in prison.
When he finally walked out of jail on February 23, 2026, the world outside had changed. Nearly two decades had passed. Children he had once known had grown into adults. People who had once been students were now working, earning and building their lives. Families had changed, technology had changed and society had moved ahead.
Faisal, however, had been left somewhere in between his past and present. He had freedom, but he did not have the means to begin again. Education, which could have opened doors for him, remained an unfinished chapter of his life.
Finding a job after spending such a long period in prison was another challenge. With little financial security and years taken away from his productive life, rebuilding himself seemed like a difficult task. The case against him had ended, but the consequences of those years had not.
The accusation that Shaikh was put through was removed, but its wounds were settled deep in the heart. To rebuild his life and recreate a living, Faisal reached the doors of Miles2Smile.
After listening to his story and understanding his circumstances, Miles2Smile decided to support him with a long-term livelihood. Instead of offering temporary assistance, the organisation worked towards creating a source of income that could help Faisal sustain himself.
A shop was set up for him, giving him an opportunity to earn and rebuild his life through his own work. The Smile Shop gradually became more than just a means of livelihood. It gave Faisal a sense of stability and something to look forward to each morning.
For a man who had spent years watching life from behind prison walls, returning to ordinary routines carried its own meaning. Today, Faisal is trying to leave behind the shadows of those years and make space for a different future. The wounds of the past may not disappear, and the lost years can never be returned. But every step he takes towards an independent life is a reminder that freedom is not only about walking out of a prison.
